Abstract
Given its detrimental effects on health, quality of life, and the environment, poor air quality
(PAQ) is a global problem, particularly in urban areas, and is frequently viewed as a key
component of social and economic sustainability. This is why it is mentioned in Goal 3 of the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and it has resonance with many of the
other SDGs. However, few studies have been conducted in developing-world cities to
investigate how citizens perceive PAQ, its primary causes, what mitigation strategies should
be utilised to address PAQ, and who is primarily responsible for putting mitigation strategies
into action. This study, based in the Nigerian cities of Abuja and Enugu was designed to explore
these questions and investigated the health effects of PAQ, sources of knowledge on air quality
(AQ), obstacles to AQ improvement, and the concordance between perceptually- and
instrumentally-evaluated AQ. It also investigated how various demographic groups view
PAQ.
This study employed a mixed-methods research approach via questionnaires and follow-up
interviews across a range of demographic categories, including gender, age, education, and
income. Snowball sampling was used to choose the researchers and policymakers who took
part in the study. The non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test and Hochberg's post hoc test were
used to analyse the data.
The study found that the assessment of AQ via perceptual indicators matches instrument-based
measurement, but there are some significant differences in AQ in both cities mainly due to the
city status; Abuja is the federal capital of the country and has only existed since the 1970s while
Enugu is much older and state capital. The most significant perceptual indicators of PAQ were
smoke, odour, and dust particles, whereas the primary causes of PAQ were the burning of
wastes and bushes(vegetation in and around the city), the usage of vehicles, and gasoline power
generators. Proper waste management and avoiding bush burning (vegetation fires) were the
two control methods that were most favoured. The primary organisations in charge of handling
PAQ varied significantly between the two cities, with respondents from Abuja naming the
federal government while those from Enugu identified the state government. It is interesting to
note that younger residents of Enugu agreed with this statement more so than the city's elder
population did, although this was not the case in Abuja. This study supports the idea that
perceptual AQ evaluation can enable action in the absence of instrument-based assessments
and is a useful source of information for policy and decision-makers when addressing PAQ.